Embassy staff quit Mali after coup

British Embassy staff in Mali are being withdrawn amid the military coup, being led by Capt. Amadou Haya Sanogo, pictured (AP)

Staff are being withdrawn from the British Embassy in Mali in the wake of the military coup.

The Foreign Office said the temporary measure would limit the UK's ability to help Britons who chose to remain in the Saharan state against official advice.

A spokesman said: "Given the unstable and unpredictable situation in Mali and the continuing lack of constitutional rule, the UK has decided to temporarily withdraw its staff from its embassy in Bamako and temporarily suspend all in country services immediately, including consular assistance.

"Consular assistance will continue to be provided to British nationals from our embassy in Dakar (in neighbouring Senegal) but the UK's ability to help British nationals who chose to remain in Mali may become limited.

"We have recommended since April 4 that British nationals should leave Mali as soon as possible by commercial means."

Mali's Tuareg rebels, who seized control of the country's north in the chaotic aftermath of the coup, have declared independence for what they called the Azawad nation.

The unrest in Timbuktu prompted Britons Neil Whitehead and Diane English, who ran a hotel in the area, to flee with the help of soldiers and nomads after the desert city fell to rebel forces. The pair made a dramatic escape after the area fell under rebel control on Sunday, arriving safely in the neighbouring west African country of Mauritania, where they have been offered help by the Foreign Office.

Mr Whitehead and Ms English, from Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, south Wales, own the Hotel Alafia on the edge of the Sahara desert and were running it with their team of local staff.

Ms English's daughter, Hana Callard, said the couple, who hope to return to the UK as soon as possible, tried to leave Timbuktu on Saturday but reached a military roadblock and so retreated, finally leaving on Sunday with the help of some rebels.

The former South Wales Argus journalist told the newspaper: "We saw on the news that the region had fallen to the rebels and we knew they were going to be in danger. It's been a worrying time but a bit surreal. It's something that happens to other people and not to you."